The "Zine" Scene

I've recently discovered that there's a huge lack in people in my area that are even aware of what a zine actually is. I'd be incredibly happy if I could find people in Melbourne who were fellow-zinesters, but alas, I'm beginning to wonder if many people even use this site in particular anymore.

So, hello to whoever has bothered to read this. I'm making (and failing at) a disastrous attempt at networking with people on here, although I really don't know where to start. That said, does anyone have any particular tips as to how to get involved with the "zine" scene/branching out to the community?

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There used to be a zine library here in Spokane, Bird's Nest, but it went under without any announcement. (Not mad about that, just mentioning it.)

Anyway, unless your more into zines for style, the physical zine itself, there doesn't seem to be much point in a local "zine scene" per se, unless you're into the politics, beliefs, etc. of the zinesters in your area. I definitely didn't happen to be.

I'm not just into zines or amateur journals, which for me aren't ends in themselves, but a way of building and maintaining certain communities I'd like to start. I'd also like to start more face-to-face interaction/communication. I've tried to use the Net for this, but I get very little response. I've placed ads on Craiglist and other places on-line, and have responded to ads I've found interesting, but nobody seems to be willing to take the time to get together and just talk about project or idea. I'm sorry, but the overall impression I get from "zinesters" is that they're fickle, shallow and standoffish. I was drawn to the "zine scene" or "amateur journalism" because I was trying to escape this mentality, but I seem to have found myself drowning in it. The Internet is some strange way seems to be some sort of huge black hole of shallowness and frivolity ("LOL!!!") that tends to swallow up all things I was first attracted to in zines.

But, I still may keep trying for a while, maybe a few years, then I'm just probably going to give up. Oddly, despite my sentiments about the Internet, I've found more community on a few forums on-line than I have in the "zine scene" (although there are a few good zines and amateur journals I do enjoy.)